Build Passive Income with Real Estate
Who says you need to work until you’re 65?
A Passive Income Blog for the Obsessed
Want to work forever?
We certainly don’t. Which is why we’re so obsessed with passive income. And while we love stocks, our true passion is passive real estate investing.
My name is Brian Davis, and I’m a passive real estate investor, personal finance writer, co-founder of SparkRental, and world traveler. I get to spend most of the year living abroad hiking, scuba diving, wine tasting, and breaking toes trying to learn how to surf.
Deni (my partner) and I have a simple goal: to help 5,000 people reach $5,000/month in passive real estate income. Want to be one of them? To start stacking up streams of passive income? To reach financial independence and retire early with rental properties or real estate syndications?
We created this real estate investing blog to help you stop relying so heavily on your 9-5 salary and start living more intentionally. Welcome!
The Latest from Our Real Estate Investing Blog
Explained: Why Do Landlords Require Renters Insurance
The Picture On Why Landlords Require Renters Insurance: Renters insurance protects both tenants and landlords from various risks and liabilities. Landlords should require renters insurance as standard practice in lease agreements. Typical renter insurance coverage...
4-Point Inspections — Their Purpose and Importance in Real Estate
The Big Picture On 4-Point Inspections in Real Estate: A 4-point inspection reviews a property's key systems—HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and roof—to identify major issues, helping buyers and insurers assess the property's condition. Often required by insurers, the...
When Can a Landlord Break a Lease Agreement?
The Big Picture On Whether Landlords Can Break a Lease Agreement or Not: In most states, landlords must provide 30-90 days' notice before terminating a lease at the end of its term. Landlords generally cannot break a fixed-term lease mid-term without cause, but can...
Real Estate Investment Negotiation Tips: Your Go-To Guide
The Big Picture On Real Estate Investment Negotiation: Building personal connections with sellers and addressing their non-financial needs can give you an edge in real estate negotiations. Cash offers often win over higher financed bids in hot markets due to their...
The Best Property Management Software for Your Business
The Big Picture On The Best Property Management Software: Automate your rental property tasks like rent collection, tenant screening, and maintenance requests with software customized to your needs. Find management software options for landlords of all sizes,...
How to Screen Tenants: Essential Steps for Every Landlord
The Big Picture On How To Screen Tenants Effectively: Always collect and review rental applications, looking for red flags in housing history, job stability, and occupancy plans. Run thorough tenant screening reports, including credit checks, criminal background...
Best Way to Invest $10K — High Returns on Moderate Risk
The Big Picture On The Best Way to Invest $10K: The best real estate investment options are house hacking, syndications, crowdfunding, rental properties, BRRRR method, and REITs. Maximize employer 401(k) match, contribute to IRAs, invest in stock index funds, and...
Hidden Rental Property Costs: Low-End Units’ Cash Flow Surprises
The Big Picture On Hidden Rental Property Costs: Low-end rental properties often have hidden costs that are not reflected in standard cash flow calculations, making them appear more profitable than they actually are. Crime, vandalism, and mandatory repairs (especially...
Ways to Lower Your Real Estate Investment Risks as a Landlord
The Big Picture On Ways to Lower Your Real Estate Investment Risks: Focus on predictable rental income rather than speculative property value increases. Account for all costs, including vacancies, maintenance, and management, using the 50% Rule as a guideline. Conduct...
Highest-ROI Renovations to Do Before Selling a Home
The Big Picture On The Best Renovations Before Selling Your Home: Focus on curb appeal and first impressions, including updating the front door, landscaping, and power washing the exterior. Simple interior upgrades, such as painting, refinishing floors, and updating...
Secrets to Sell Your Property Faster: Proven Tips for Success
The Big Picture On The Secrets to Sell Your Property Fast: Sell your property faster by using professional photos and virtual tours, engaging neighbors, providing detailed listings, and strategically pricing for your local market. Accelerate your sale through...
How to Attract Family Renters: Proven Strategies for Landlords
The Big Picture to Attract High-ROI Family Renters: Safe neighborhoods and good schools top families' wish lists. Kid-friendly properties with fenced yards near parks win family hearts. Flexible, longer leases with renewal perks keep families around. The information...
The “Live Off Rents” Podcast
Prefer to watch or listen to your real estate investing and FIRE tips & tricks? No sweat.
Deni and Brian have been broadcasting live every week to the SparkRental-sponsored Facebook groups since 2017, and started releasing the content via podcast in 2020. Each episode is quick, 15-20 minutes, but jam-packed with actionable content.
No fluff, just advice you can put to work immediately to build passive income from real estate.
If you enjoy the episodes, share them, and please rate and review on iTunes or wherever else you listen!
Recent Episodes
Beyond Education: Group Real Estate Investment Club
Learning is wonderful, and we offer nearly endless free education content for real estate investors. But nothing beats getting in the trenches and actually investing to earn real returns.
At your request, we created a real estate investment club that lets you “earn while you learn” with a club of other investors. Every month, we meet on a video call to vet a new passive real estate investment. These group real estate investments range from private parnetships to private notes to real estate syndications and funds for fractional ownership in an apartment complex, self-storage facility, retail or other large property. You get all the benefits of real estate investing, from cash flow to appreciation to tax benefits, without the headaches of buying properties yourself.
Best of all, you can invest with a lot less money. Rather than the $50,000 – $100,000 needed for a typical private equity real estate investment or rental property down payment, you can invest with $5,000 per deal.
Oh, and non-accredited investors are welcome on all deals. We intentionally propose inclusive deals open to all investors.
Who Is this Real Estate Investing Blog For?
Well, sure, it’s for aspiring and active investors and landlords. We write about the nuts and bolts of investing passively in real estate syndications or actively in rental properties. We cover topics ranging from real estate crowdfunding to tax benefits, tenant screening to collecting rents, single-family to multifamily to self-storage and beyond.
But while the “how-tos” and “avoid these mistakes” are important, they’re only part of the picture.
The bigger picture? How real estate investing fits into your larger strategy for building wealth and passive income.
Specifically: reaching financial independence to give you the freedom to retire early, if you so choose. Or to supplement your current lifestyle so you can live better or switch to your dream work.
So who is this “real estate investing blog” for? It’s not just for passive real estate investors or active landlords — it’s for anyone looking for creative ways to reach FIRE through real estate investing.
Real Estate Investing & Landlord Education
Our real estate investing blog includes hundreds of articles personal finance articles, property management tips, and detailed real estate investing advice. Browse it, search it, use it as a free resource.
But our landlord education doesn’t end with the blog.
We offer a range of free webinars and online masterclasses for real estate investors. We offer a premium course called FIRE from Real Estate, to help you reach financial independence and retire early in years rather than decades. Our weekly newsletter keeps you abreast of rental industry trends, landlord tips, and the best of real estate investing blogs from around the web. And every week, Deni & Brian hop on live video on Facebook for a 15-minute live vlog and answer questions.
What for? Why do real estate investors and landlords need continuing education, anyway?
Because investing in rental properties is not like throwing money in an index fund.
Buying real estate investment properties takes skill (at least if you want to make money). Managing rental properties takes skill.
Your returns on rental investment properties are directly proportionate to your knowledge and skill, both as an investor and as a landlord. If you want to reach financial independence from real estate, you’re going to need to know what you’re doing.
That’s why we’re obsessed with ongoing real estate education at SparkRental. We want you to make as much passive income as possible, as fast as possible, on the fewest real estate investments possible.
More Resources for Investors
Had enough of us going on about the importance of real estate investing education?
“Cut to the goods already Brian! Gimme some free stuff!”
All right, all right. Here are some free real estate investing resources, to help you on your quest for financial independence from real estate:
Real Estate Investing Calculators
Real estate investing involves math. But it doesn’t have to be hard math. Use our free rental income calculator, house hacking calculator, property depreciation calculator and more to get ahead in the game of life.
Interactive Real Estate Maps
It’s a big country, with thousands of towns you could invest in. Where should you invest? Why? Check out our interactive maps of the hottest housing markets, cooling real estate markets, best cities for real estate investing by price/rent ratio, and more.
Real Estate Crowdfunding Comparison
Wondered whether real estate crowdfunding investments are worth considering? The answer: some are, others aren’t. But which are worth it? Check out our comparison of real estate crowdfunding platforms — and which we invest in ourselves.
Landlord Software & Mobile App
Use our free landlord software to screen tenants, collect rent online, and automate your rental accounting. Sync your bank account, automatically label income and expenses, and use one-click Schedule E tax statements.
Want more free landlord resources? Check out our list of Free Real Estate Investing Tools.
